An epiphany
Occasionally you have a realisation that is so important that it changes everything.
When I first graduated I sincerely believed that the path to success in dentistry, both financial and clinical, was technical excellence.
That led me to take course after course after course in endodontics, crown and bridge, oral surgery, aesthetic dentistry, periodontics, oral medicine, orthodontics, occlusion, TMJ and implants.
On and on it went. With each course I added to my knowledge base.
After a while I noticed something
Even though I knew how to do a lot more things, my practice of dentistry was no more successful than before I started on my learning journey.
Every day I was doing check-ups, cleanings, fillings and very occasionally, perhaps once a week or less, I’d get to do one of the “advanced” treatments that I’d learned at the courses.
Bottom line was that I was no closer to financial success than before and I was even more frustrated and dissatisfied. I knew how to do all these wonderful things but my patients didn’t care.
I’d tell them about what was possible — the marvellous things I could do for them however it was a waste of time. When I would rave about a new technique I’d learnt, they’d shrug their shoulders and say:
“I’d like to go home and think about it.”
I’d wait for the phone to ring once they’d got finished thinking but, of course, that never happened.
Then came a realisation
If only I could become as good at explaining dentistry as I was at doing dentistry then things might change.
Based on that idea, I started taking courses on communication and case acceptance.
I even attended sales courses because, when it is done well (i.e. without pressure or manipulation), sales is communication.
Almost immediately my practice doubled
Suddenly I started doing more of the “advanced” treatments that I’d been learning about. Instead of one of these treatments a week it became two or three per week.
I took even more courses on communication.
Around this time I travelled to the Pankey Institute in Florida.
I never got to meet L D Pankey because he had died by the time I got to attend the Institute. The Institute had been set up by dentists who admired him and who wanted to continue his teachings.
Pankey was a technical master, but even so he said:
“The key to successful practice is the ability to communicate.”
My practice doubled again
I kept learning how to communicate better with my patients.
Within a short period I was doing an “advanced” dental treatment every day, then a couple every day, then several every day.
My practice transitioned from a basic, standard practice to being one that was full of crowns, onlays, inlays, bridges, implants, veneers and orthodontics.
The reward you get from this is not only financial
Sure, I’ll admit that the financial rewards from this are nice.
But, the sense of satisfaction you get from doing lots of high-quality dentistry cannot be understated.
You can look at a finished case with a sense of pride. You know that you have given the patient the very best that modern dentistry has to offer.
Doing more comprehensive dentistry also means you don’t need as many new patients. If you are just doing basic dentistry you might need 30 or 40 new patients a month to keep busy. If you are doing comprehensive dentistry then you can keep busy with 20 or fewer new patients per month.
Being skilled with communication is the master key that unlocks the pathway to success and fulfilment in dental practice.
